Federal Government Chapter 9 Quiz

How do interest groups expand the range of issues that come to lawmakers' attention?

They focus on issues that may not have broad impact. They focus on issues that may be controversial.

True or false: An enormous group such as the taxpayers of the United States can exert a major influence on public policy.

False

Modern lobbyists primarily concentrate on providing lawmakers with ______.

arguments and evidence for their position

Which of the following are private goods? (Choose every correct answer.)

jobs retirement plans

Which of the following represents a shared view of pluralists and their critics?

Interest groups are important to bringing the concerns of groups of individuals to the attention of government.

Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs to ______.

encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause

Interest groups rely on what two main lobbying strategies? (Choose every correct answer.)

inside lobbying outside lobbying

Compared to iron triangles, the relationship between actors in an issue network tends to be more ______.

temporary

Lobbyists generally direct their efforts at lawmakers who ______.

are inclined to support their group or cause

The interest-group system in the United States overrepresents ______.

business interests

Which of the following are the components of an iron triangle?

congressional committees interest groups executive agencies

While the relationship between actors in an iron triangle tends to be more long-lasting, issue networks tend to ______.

disband once an issue is settled

Lobbying elected officials includes which of the following activities?

face-to-face meetings with members of Congress

Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options?

filing amicus curiae briefs lawsuits influencing the selection of federal judges

Super PACs are legally forbidden from which of the following?

giving money directly to candidates giving money directly to political parties

Interest group influence is particularly strong among ______ agencies that are responsible for overseeing the nation's business sectors.

regulatory

What was Madison's constitutional solution to the problem of factions?

the system of checks and balances

An important feature of private goods for an economic group is that ______.

they are benefits the group can withhold

Which of the following are the chief targets of interest groups when they lobby the executive branch?

top officials of federal agencies

The type of interest group that addresses issues of concern to the general public and not just the group's members is called a(n)

Citizens interest groups

______ goods are those that belong to all people and cannot be withheld on an individual basis, such as clean air or water.

Collective

Which of the following is an advantage that economic groups have over citizens' groups?

Economic groups can provide material benefits (such as jobs) to those who are part of the group.

True or false: Retired lawmakers cannot become lobbyists because they are forbidden by law to take a lobbying job.

False

An example of a single-issue interest group focused on the environment is ______.

Greenpeace

______ incentives for joining an interest group include the satisfaction that you are participating in a worthy effort.

Purposive

Among economic groups, which type are the most numerous?

business groups

One of the positive contributions that interest groups make is ______.

providing a form of representation for organized groups

What are the advantages enjoyed by a large interest group such as the AARP?

It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government. It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress. It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low.

What is a super PAC?

an independent-expenditure-only committee

A person known as a(n) _____ rider derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement.

free

Which of the following describe most citizen's groups?

They tend to focus on one issue, such as gun rights or the environment. They are open to anyone who agrees with the policy the group is advocating.

Which of the following is a way in which special interest groups can donate money to candidates?

by forming a political action committee (PAC)

Which type of group typically has to deal with the problem of free riders?

citizens' groups

Which type of interest group represents business firms of a particular kind, such as insurance companies?

trade association

A(n) (Blank) (Blank) is an informal but relatively stable group of persons from Congress, executive agencies, and interest groups with a mutual interest in a particular policy area.

Iron Triangle

A(n) ______________ _______________ is comprised of various actors that all have interest and expertise in a particular policy issue even though they may disagree on what the outcome should be.

Issue Network

Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?

New York Texas California

(Blank) lobbying includes initiating letter-writing campaigns and influencing the news media.

Outside

Which of the following types of interest groups is classified as an economic type?

agriculture

Who typically benefits the most from PAC campaign donations?

incumbents

Compared with the percentage of United States workers who were union members in the 1950s and 1960s, the percentage today is ______.

lower

The states that border Mexico all have ______ registered lobbyists.

more than 800

The effort of the writers of the Constitution to devise a governing system that would guard against tyranny of the majority resulted in which consequence?

America's system of divided power provides abundant opportunities for interest groups to achieve their policy goals.

Which of the following best describes why many interest groups form political action committees (PACs)?

because contributing to candidates' campaigns can help gain access for interest group lobbyists

A(n) (Blank) (Blank) is an organization that seeks to influence government decision making. It is also known by the names faction, special interest, or organized interest.

Interest Group

The incentives that most noneconomic groups offer include ______.

collective goods

Which of the following help interest groups participate more effectively in group politics?

contacts money skills

In the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the corporate tax cut is permanent, whereas the individual tax cut has an end date. This difference illustrates the fact that ______.

getting smaller, more focused business groups to work together on an issue can be highly effective

If you were lobbying Congress, what would be the safest strategy for you to use?

Be aboveboard with members.

Which political leader wrote that the government must dilute the influence of factions and interest groups by filtering their views through properly structured governing institutions?

James Madison

Which of the following are ways in which members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists?

Lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation. Lobbyists identify bills that need their attention.

______ lobbying involves bringing public pressure on policymakers, such as organizing a letter writing campaign to members of Congress.

Outside

Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have ______.

a low chance of achieving their goals through legislation a cause that's unpopular with the public

Political scientist Mancur Olson argues that small interest groups can be more powerful than larger groups as long as they are more ______.

organized